Before you ask yourself this question, you should ask yourself whether any franchise opportunity would be right for you. Are you the sort of entrepreneur who would succeed in a franchise setting? There are many reasons you might say "yes" to this and many reasons to explore franchise opportunities, but here are the top ten according to About.

1. Franchising significantly decreases the amount of time it will take your business to turn a profit.

2. Franchise opportunities have a much lower failure rate than new, independent businesses.

3. Starting a franchise business does not require nearly as much time and effort as starting an independent business. This affords franchisees more time to spend with their families and more time to do the things they enjoy.

4. Franchising is federally regulated. There is a great deal of information that franchisors are required to provide to potential franchisees, so they can make an informed investment decision.

5. Franchise opportunities provide fast, easy access to financing. Some of the larger franchises even provide in-house financing.

6. Franchise opportunities include amazing training and support from the franchisor to ensure franchisees' success.

7. There is tremendous potential for growth and expansion within the franchise system.

8. The wealth of franchise opportunities means there are many available investment levels. Some franchises only require initial investments of a few thousand dollars. This includes many franchises that offer an Internet-based business or home-based business plan.

9. The resources available to the franchisor translate into professional development opportunities for the franchisees.

10. Added benefits -such as investment incentives and a royalty-free period - are often available through a start-up franchise. Although slightly riskier than buying into an established franchise, new franchise opportunities offer franchisees the chance to help grow the business with their own creativity and innovation.

I Am Interested in Franchise Opportunities, Now What?

Now, you can ask yourself that first question again: Is a computer franchise or Internet franchise for me?

If you are interested in an Internet-based business or home-based business, the answer to this question is probably, "yes."

A home-based business offers many unique advantages. For one thing, working from home through an Internet franchise will provide you with an average of 348 hours of extra time. This is the amount of time the average American spends commuting to and from work each year. That's a lot of time you could spend growing your business, interacting with your family or engaging in your favorite leisure activities.

An Internet-based business that you operate from home lets you establish your own earning potential. Simply put: the harder you work, the more money you will make.

An Internet franchise requires a much smaller initial investment than a traditional franchise, and this equates to a smaller risk.

There are numerous tax advantages associated with a home-based business. For example, a percentage of your mortgage and many other household maintenance expenses can be deducted as business expenses.

Autonomy is a major selling point for starting your own Internet-based business. Of course, an Internet franchise will have guidelines for its franchisees, but essentially you're your own boss. And since you'll be running your business from home, feel free to show up for work in your pajamas.

Franchise Opportunities

There are so many great options available to entrepreneurs interested in an Internet franchise or other home-based business: The Advertising Consultants franchise allows you to start a home-based advertising business with an initial investment of just $25,000. American Billing Systems initial investment is under $15,000, but it still provides franchisees the opportunity to earn six-figure incomes operating a home-based business.

WSI is an Internet franchise that has been ranked first in its category by Entrepreneur Magazine for the past six years. They also rank 36th on Entrepreneur's Top 500 Franchises list, ahead of well-known companies like Hilton Hotels, Snap-On Tools, Ben & Jerry's and Gold's Gym.

WSI has 1500+ franchisees worldwide who provide Internet consulting services for small and medium businesses using their patent-pending Lifecycle System. WSI specializes in creating exciting websites on a small-business owner's budget. WSI franchisees evaluate the needs of their clients and provide them with Internet marketing tools to decrease costs and maximize profitability.

They are able to provide great quality work at lower costs because they pool resources and distribute costs across their network of Internet consultants. Since low-cost, great service is almost a guarantee of repeat business, WSI franchisees are able to create an ongoing source of income by forging successful client relationships.

WSI or any Internet-based business like it- would be a great fit for any entrepreneur who is skilled at business-to-business networking and developing promotional strategies. Clients who purchase the services of this type of Internet-based business will be business owners themselves, so professionalism and expertise are essential. An entrepreneur who is enthusiastic about Internet marketing and has the spirit of a true capitalist will do quite well with an Internet, home-based business.